Multicenter Adherence Study of Asthma Medication for Children in Korea

• Published in: Allergy, asthma & immunology research 2019, Asthma & Immunology Research, 11(2), , pp.222-230
• Main Authors: Kim, Chang Keun, Callaway, Zak, Choi, Jungi, Kim, Hyo Bin, Kwon, Eun Mi, Chang, Yoon Seok, Rha, Yeong Ho, Hong, Soo Jong, Oh, Jae Won, Kim, Hyun Hee, Lim, Dae Hyun, Kim, Sung Won, Park, Kang Seo, Cho, Yong Hoon, Chung, Hai Lee, Park, Hee Ju, Jung, Sang Gun, Kang, Im Joo, Hyun, Myung Chul, Oh, Moo Young, Jung, Jin A, Kim, Myung Sung, Shim, Jung Yeon, Kim, Jin Tack, Koh, Young Yull
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adhesion; Allergies; Asthma; Children; Drugs; Health care; Health care facilities; Medical treatment; Original; Patients; Respiratory diseases; Transdermal medication; 내과학
• ISSN: 2092-7355; 2092-7363
• DOI: 10.4168/aair.2019.11.2.222

Adherence is a major component of successful medical treatment. However, non-adherence remains a barrier to effective delivery of healthcare worldwide. Twenty healthcare facilities (secondary or tertiary hospitals) belonging to the Korean Academy of Pediatric Allergy and Respiratory Diseases (KAPARD) participated. Questionnaires were given to patients currently receiving treatment in the form of inhalant useor oral intake or transdermal patch for mild to moderate asthma. A total of 1,838 patients responded to the questionnaire. Mean age was 5.98 ± 3.79 years (range: 0-18 years). With help from their caregivers, the percentage of patients that answered "taking as prescribed" was 38.04% for inhalant users, 50.09% for oral medication users and 67.42% for transdermal users. Transdermal patch users had significantly greater adherence compared to the other 2 groups ( < 0.001). The 34.15% of inhalant users, 70.33% of oral medication users and 93.00% of transdermal patch users felt that their medication delivery system was "Easy" or "Very easy" to use ( < 0.001). "Method of administration" was deemed to be the most difficult part of the treatment regimen to follow, and 76.7% of patients preferred once-daily administration ( , "Frequency of administration"). Asthma medication adherence in young children was found to be better in the transdermal patch group. This may be due to requiring fewer doses and easy to follow instructions. From an adherence point of view, the transdermal patch seems more useful for long-term asthma control in children compared to oral or inhaled medicine.